I Will Buy Divine Power With Money! - Chapter 21

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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“After already receiving 3,000 gold, you’re saying the recharge fee is separate… And on top of that, you need to recharge the blessing once a month.”

Rute’s silver-gray eyes looked at me as if seeing the most bizarre thing in the world.

It felt quite satisfying to receive such a look from the villain who tormented the protagonists and blocked their path until the very end in the original story.

“You’ll learn about the effectiveness of my blessing after a month, so we can discuss the recharge fee again then.”

Once the blessing ends and the pain starts again, you’ll come looking for me on your own.

When I added words that sounded like a curse but were no different from a prophecy, Rute ran his hand through his hair.

I could feel his subtle irritation from that simple action.

“…Do you know something? I run a trading guild.”

I know. It was described in the original work.

The content was that his condition would worsen due to the holy relic of light, and he would eventually fall into ruin after becoming a villain’s slave.

Lute Sieri, who had all his actions restricted and was even deprived of the freedom to take his own life, would give up on himself and transform into a complete villain.

“As such, I don’t go around taking losses anywhere.”

Rute, who still held the trading guild that hadn’t collapsed yet, let out a hollow laugh.

“I never thought I’d be extorted for so much money by the Holy Maiden.”

“Still, it’s not a loss, is it? If you can alleviate your condition with money, isn’t that rather profitable? Besides, for the Sieri ducal family that owns mines, it’s practically pocket change.”

Despite working hard in my previous life and never even touching 300 million before I died, I shamelessly talked about pocket change.

Rute also expressed admiration at this shamelessness.

“Calling it pocket change when it’s not even your own money.”

“So you’re saying it’s not true?”

“…You’re right. If I can escape from pain, I’m willing to pay any amount of money. A body without pain. Do you know how sweet this sensation is?”

Rute looked down at his own hands.

Joy and admiration, happiness and a bit of worry swirled like a typhoon in his eyes.

“Rather than feel pain again, I think I’d sell not just money but even my soul if you wanted it.”

“No, I don’t particularly need your soul. What use would it be anyway?”

Ugh, why would I want a soul? Why would I need a dead soul in the first place?

I need a living body holding SSS+ grade wealth, not a soul that can’t even use all that wealth.

“I just need money.”

When I made a circle with my thumb and index finger and shook it, Rute drooped his eyebrows as if hurt.

“It hurts my feelings that you reject me so firmly. Does this mean you have no need for a duke without money?”

“Of course. What use is a duke without money?”

“For eye candy.”

Rute spread both hands wide and brought them to his chin. It was like a flower cup.

“…”

It’s absurd, really ridiculous, but I can’t deny it.

He certainly has looks that are a feast for the eyes just by looking.

Should I say he has a decadent beauty that I can’t feel from gentle Airic or neat Seth?

I just didn’t expect him to say such words with his own mouth.

“You can’t deny it. Fortunately, my looks seem to be to the Holy Maiden’s taste.”

Rute smiled, narrowing his eyes seductively. He’s really determined to enchant me.

Is this Rute’s original personality? The gap from the original work is so severe I can’t get my bearings.

“I don’t want to hear that I’m not worth my face value, so I’ll make sure to pay the recharge fee properly. I’ll never come empty-handed.”

“Good. By the way, the donation to Daesinjeon and the recharge fee are separate. But the recharge fee can be less than the donation.”

What I receive as recharge fees will be offered to the Sun God, and donations will be used for Daesinjeon’s operating expenses.

Recovering the Sun God’s power is important, but fixing up Daesinjeon, which has become shabby, comes first.

The temple needs to be somewhat grand for people to gather in admiration.

If believers increase that way, the Sun God’s power will naturally recover even without me spending money, so Daesinjeon’s operating funds were definitely the priority.

“For the Holy Maiden who loves money to make concessions. I’m truly moved.”

To speak sincerity so sarcastically. What a remarkable talent.

“I’ll use the holy relic carefully. Since I never want to feel that pain again, I won’t use it carelessly.”

“It would be good not to lose it or break it. If something happens to the holy relic, you’ll really die.”

This is both a warning and a prophecy.

The divine relic ‘Aurora’, not just a holy relic, will block the approach of the ‘absolute evil’ that made him a slave in the original work.

If Aurora breaks?

That thing will approach as if it had been waiting, Rute will fall into villainy, and I’ll have to kill him to survive.

“…I’ll keep that in mind.”

Perhaps sensing my sincerity, Rute put away his playfulness and nodded with a serious expression.

“One last thing. You should only discuss your condition and the blessing with me. Don’t tell the High Priest or the Order of the Holy.”

“It’s the Holy Maiden’s blessing, so why must I hide it from those two?”

Because it would be troublesome if Airic learned that I, a fake Holy Maiden, can place blessings on divine relics.

“The Holy Maiden’s blessing contains healing power. But you, Duke, possess a holy relic that received such a blessing? Those two would quickly notice your illness, wouldn’t they?”

But since I couldn’t say that, I made up a plausible excuse.

Actually, Seth has noticed slightly, but he’s not someone who would carelessly talk about it elsewhere, so it’s fine.

“If it doesn’t matter if those two know, then you can tell them.”

“No. It’s better they don’t know. Let’s keep this as a secret between just the two of us.”

I thought so. I smiled with satisfaction.

I’m planning to run away from Daesinjeon once everything is over, and it would be troublesome if it became known that I had become a real Holy Maiden.

So this must absolutely remain a secret until the end.

Having reached a dramatic compromise, we shook hands and solidified our trust.

“Excuse me. I apologize for keeping you waiting so long.”

Just then, with perfect timing, Airic returned.

I glanced at the divine relic perfectly hidden between Rute’s collar and asked him.

“Is the amount confirmation finished?”

“Yes. Everything has been paid, and Priest Dietrich and several Holy Knights have gone down to the nearby village to purchase food supplies.”

Dietrich really does many things. Isn’t he like the supporting pillar of Daesinjeon?

“Then since all procedures are complete, I’ll bring the holy relic right away.”

“Ah, it’s fine. Since the High Priest seemed busy, I brought the holy relic together with the Order of the Holy. The Duke has also confirmed its effectiveness, so there’s nothing more for the High Priest to do!”

“…Excuse me? What do you mean by that…?”

Airic blinked his eyes.

His face was full of questions about how I, who shouldn’t know where the holy relic of light was or what it looked like, could have known to bring it.

While Rute was present and Airic couldn’t ask directly and was stammering, I quickly organized the situation.

“Duke. Do you have any more business?”

If you’ve gotten everything you wanted, now disappear quickly.

Rute, who had been looking back and forth between me and Airic, seemed to understand my meaning and immediately stood up.

“No. I was just about to leave. I suddenly feel pressured that I need to earn quite a bit of money. I should go back and work hard.”

“Oh my, but please work while thinking about your health.”

When I threw back a pointed response to his pointed words, Rute burst into laughter.

“Thank you for agreeing to this good deal, Holy Maiden.”

“I was happy to be of help to you, Duke. I look forward to Daesinjeon continuing a smooth and close relationship with you in the future.”

You have to come with money every month without fail.

“Now that I’m also a believer of the Sun God, I should rather say I’m the one asking for your favor. As a believer, I’ll always pray for Daesinjeon’s well-being.”

It’s an answer that he’ll bring the money he earns diligently.

Rute, who lightly bowed his head to Airic who still couldn’t grasp the situation, left with light steps.

How should I put it, seeing his clearly different gait from when he first arrived here felt strange.

Because the probability of him facing a tragic future had significantly decreased.

And because I had achieved that.

This might make some of the original work’s information useless, but what does that matter?

Rather, gaining the tremendous hidden card called Lute Sieri is more beneficial.

Of course, money coming in is the best thing.

“Holy Maiden. What exactly happened here? How did you know about the holy relic…?”

As soon as Rute and his aide disappeared from sight, Airic asked urgently like a hawk.

I answered as if it was nothing significant.

“Ah, actually what I gave the Duke wasn’t the Light Relic.”

“…What? But surely the Duke said it was a satisfactory transaction…”

“Yes! Instead of the Light Relic, there was something the Duke really needed, so I gave him that!”

“What on earth did you…”

“Aurora.”

“…What did you say you gave him?”

“The Sun God’s divine artifact Aurora. I gave that to the Duke instead of the Light Relic.”

I smiled brightly at Airic.

And 3 seconds later.

“Holy Maiden!”

Airic’s enormous scream shook the Daesinjeon loudly.

Ow, my ears hurt.

* * *

“My lord. Does the relic really have an effect?”

As soon as the carriage departed, Rute’s aide Yuri Polton asked.

He was one of the very few people who knew about Rute’s condition, and had searched through all kinds of materials to find any method that could even slightly alleviate Rute’s suffering.

In the process, he happened to come across writing about the ‘Light Relic’ in an old ancient book.

There were no detailed contents, just a brief one-line description that read ‘a relic that rarely contains healing power.’

However, Rute and Yuri, who were in a half-given-up state at the time, had no choice but to cling to that one line.

Since they had searched for years without even knowing where it was located, he was extremely curious whether the relic would really be effective.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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